Trust Me
by neon maverick
Summary: Troy suddenly starts to pull away from his friends, becoming isolated. He stops coming to basketball lessons, and then suddenly he ends up in hospital. Gabriella is determined to find out what’s up, even if that means risking her life in the process.
1. Prologue

_Troy suddenly starts to pull away from his friends, becoming isolated. He stops coming to basketball lessons, and then suddenly he ends up in hospital. Gabriella is determined to find out what's up, even if that means risking her life in the process. _

Troy sat on the couch in the front room, staring at the TV; there was nothing interesting on. There was a sudden scream from upstairs, catching Troy so off-guard that he dropped the remote and fell off the couch. He groaned. Then he sprinted up the stairs to his parents' room.

'What's the matter, dad?' Troy said, looking intently at his father sitting on the edge of his and his mother's bed. He was holding a small piece of paper.

'It's your mother…she's left. She's left us!' Jack ran down the stairs and threw open the door, watching Lucille's car pull off, leaving thick tyre tracks.

Troy had followed, dreading the consequences of her leaving. He contemplated running from his father as he turned to face his son menacingly. Troy licked his dry lips, swallowing slightly. 'Dad. Dad, don't.'

Troy's father had been abusive when Troy had first been born. Every time he got angry, he would take his rage out on his wife, hitting her constantly. And if Lucille wasn't there, Troy would get the force, but it had never been too bad.

Jack walked forward slowly. Troy stepped backwards, but he tripped and landed on his back. Jack grabbed the corners of his shirt and threw him into another room, closing the door behind him.

'Dad, stop! Get off me! Dad! Dad!'

_I'd just like to say: if anyone is looking for a sexual abuse story, this is not the story you want to read. Personally, I think abuse is sick but sexual abuse by a parent to their child is just wrong to write about…_

_Also, I know it's short, but please review anyway!_


	2. Scared

_1 week earlier…_

'Come on, Gabriella. It's only for a weekend.' Sharpay pleaded with her.

'I'm not going with you to London. It'll take a day of travel.' Gabriella crossed her arms.

'What's your point?' Sharpay looked confused.

'My point is –' Gabriella was cut off by Troy hugging her from behind.

'Her point is that she wants to stay with me.' Troy grinned, tightening his hold.

Gabriella rolled her eyes slightly, and then smiled. 'What he said.'

Sharpay drew the tickets from her purse. 'Did I mention there were four tickets?' She fanned them in front of the couple's faces. 'One for me, one for Ryan, one for you and one for Troy…so convenient.' Gabriella and Troy's faces changed from refusal to that of excitement. 'But…if you don't wanna go…' Sharpay started to turn round.

They both swiftly took their tickets out of her hand. 'We wanna go!' they shouted together.

_Present time…_

'What do you mean, you can't go?!' Gabriella's eyes told a whole story of their own.

'Exactly that.' Troy avoided her gaze. 'With my mom leaving…it's too soon.'

'I know what that's like.' Gabriella swallowed. 'Fine. But if you're not going to London, I'm not either.'

'Gabi…' Troy suddenly felt bad.

'Don't you "Gabi" me. Your excuse for me not going was that I wanted to stay with you. I'm keeping to that.' Gabriella smiled and took his hand, feeling him flinch. 'Hey, what's wrong?'

'Nothing. Just feel bad, that's all.' Troy smiled. It was fake and Gabriella knew it, but she knew what it was like to have a parent leave and she didn't want Troy to go through the hardship she did.

* * *

'Oh, what?!' Sharpay gave Gabriella the same look she had when she asked her to go to London in the first place.

'Sorry, Shar. But if Troy's not going, I can't.' Gabriella handed her back the two tickets.

'You're so mean!' Sharpay pouted, but then sighed, smiling slightly. 'But I still love you. C'mere.' Sharpay pulled Gabriella into a hug, which she gratefully returned.

* * *

Chad lined up the basketball team. 'Okay, guys, we all know about Troy's mom, so both Troy and Coach will be…different than usual. I don't know in what way, but just be careful.'

The team nodded and then went their separate ways to warm up. Jack came through the doors, looking around. He went over to Chad.

'Hey, you seen Troy?' he hissed.

He sounded so menacing that Chad had to step back. 'No, not for a while, Coach.'

'God, what is wrong with that kid?' Jack murmured as he walked away.

Chad frowned. 'Probably in denial.' He thought.

_2 hours later…_

'Troy!' Jack yelled as he threw open the door to his house. 'Troy!'

Troy was up in his bedroom, and his eyes widened when he realised his dad was home. He heard loud footsteps coming up the stairs, approaching fast. 'Troy!'

Troy got up from his desk chair and opened his window. He stepped onto the edge and swung himself round to grab the drainpipe. He jumped and hung there for a split second, before feeling the pipe come away from the wall.

**Please Review.**


	3. Trust Me

'Troy!'

'Hey, guys, I think he's waking up.'

'Are you alright?'

Everything came back into focus as Troy blinked. All of his friends were leaning over him, staring intently with worried eyes.

'W-what happened?' Troy said, groaning in pain.

'We dunno, your dad brought you in.' Troy cringed. 'He didn't say anything about it, so he's being questioned.' Gabriella said, looking suspicious. Nothing got past her.

'How many fingers am I holding up?' Jason said, holding up two.

Troy played with him. '23?'

Everyone laughed, although they were uneasy. 'Where am I?'

'The hospital.' Ryan answered.

'Oh…right.' Troy lifted his arm up and rubbed his head. 'Ouch.' He pouted.

Gabriella smiled slightly. 'Can you give us a minute, guys?'

Everyone nodded, walking out. Gabriella sat on the edge of Troy's bed. 'Why am I in my own clothes?'

'The doctors said there was no point of putting you in a gown.' Gabriella looked away.

'Ooh, chills. Why the cold shoulder?' Troy said, propping himself on his elbows so he could see her.

'What do you mean?' Gabriella said, not looking at him still.

'You're being all distant.'

'Me?!' Gabriella turned towards him. 'I'm being distant?! Just a week ago, you were all "I wanna go to London!" and now you don't wanna go, you stop coming to basketball, and then you end up in hospital!'

'My mother left! I'm sorry if that annoys you, but it wasn't exactly planned!' Troy said back, trying to cover up the fact of abuse.

'I'm just worried about you!' Gabriella wanted to yell. 'I'm just worried, okay?' she said quietly.

Troy reached forward and touched her cheek. 'Don't be.' He replied in a similar tone.

* * *

_The next night…_

Gabriella walked down the path to Troy's house. As she got closer, she heard loud shouting. The door had been left open and she pushed it further, seeing Jack and Troy standing in the middle of the floor.

'It's not my fault you abused my mom!'

'I didn't say it was!'

'So why are you abusing me then?!'

'Because you're stupid! Because you annoy me! Because I hate you!' Jack punched him round the face, Troy landing on the floor, eyes closed.

Gabriella gasped. Jack looked at her, and Troy opened his eyes, lifting his head. 'What the…?' Gabriella walked closer slowly.

'Don't, Gabi.' Troy didn't want her to get hurt.

Jack ran past her an out the house. Gabriella got out her cell. 'No!' Troy said, stopping her. 'Please don't.'

Gabriella bit her lip but still pocketed her cell. She ran over to him and knelt down. 'So this is why you're so distant?'

'I guess.' Troy said as Gabriella took his hands and helped him up.

'Why shouldn't I call the police?' Gabriella said, putting a cool hand on his red cheek.

'Just trust me.'

**Please Review.**


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